Overview
Yes. Corn gluten meal is well-tolerated by dogs. While it’s a good plant-based protein, it lacks some important amino acids that canines need. Overreliance on corn gluten meal as a protein source can cause nutrient deficiency.
Can dogs eat Corn Gluten Meal?
Benefits
- Despite what the name suggests, corn gluten meal has no gluten. A by-product of corn milling process, corn gluten meal has protein content that reaches about 60%, which classifies it as a concentrated plant protein source that can be used in animal feed and commercial dog food.
- The protein digestibility of CGM reaches above 70% in canines when properly processed within dry dog food formulations. This means that dogs can effectively use and process most of the nutrients present in corn gluten meal.
- The protein in corn gluten meal is one of the least likely causes of food allergies among dogs when compared to beef, dairy, wheat and other common allergens.
- Although it lacks essential amino acids present in animal proteins (such as lysine) it provides protein value and helps sustain muscle tissue when combined with other protein sources.
Risks
- The essential amino acids lysine and tryptophan are missing from corn gluten meal, which makes it an incomplete protein. Relying on corn gluten meal without adequate balancing of protein-deficiencies can produce insufficient protein nutrition in growing puppies and pregnant or lactating dogs.
- Lower-quality pet foods might use corn gluten meal as low-cost filler to increase protein percentages, which can mislead pet owners who usually associate high protein content with high quality.
- In rare cases, poor storage conditions of corn gluten meal may allow aflatoxins to develop. Exposure to aflatoxins can cause liver damage in dogs.
Servings
- Corn gluten meal is used as an ingredient in commercially prepared pet foods and not typically given directly as food or treat to dogs.
- It’s up to the manufacturers to properly mix corn gluten meal with other protein sources, vitamins, and minerals to create a nutritionally complete profile, following the guidelines set by The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO).
